Pattaya drawing creates whole lotto frenzy

Lottery players worked themselves into a frenzy as the Government Lottery Office came to Pattaya to hold its Sept. 1 drawing, giving gamblers a chance to beat the odds in person.

Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai and MP Santsak Ngampichet joined top Pattaya and Banglamung government and police officials at the Eastern National Sports Arena where they put on a good show of personally inspecting balls and equipment before the drawing.

Local government officials take to the stage with the lovely ball girls to inspect the Government Lottery Office’s Sept. 1 drawing in Pattaya.

Routinely accused of preselecting numbers, calling the wrong number or other ways of cheating by disgruntled, losing players, the Government Lottery Office has begun traveling around the country to give players a chance to see the process. To show balls were not rigged, the Office of Atoms for Peace analyzed the ping pong ball weight and magnetism.

Everything, of course, checked out and the month’s first winning number – 548123 – was chosen. The three-number winning combinations were 281, 570, 800 and 045. The two-number winner was 05.

Following the drawing, lottery office director Maj. Gen. Attakrit Thareechat presented donations of 300,000 baht to Pattaya School No. 7 for construction of indoor volleyball stadium, and 300,000 to Chonburi Police Station Superintendent Maj. Gen. Khatcha Thatsart to distribute to various organizations.

Beneficiaries will include Benjamarachutit School, Mapphai Temple in Chanthaburi, Banmuangphrong School in Chachoengsao, and the nature and environmental volunteering network in Phanomsarakham, Chacherngsao.